Exclusive: Craige McMillan sees symbolism in case against artist who created 'Hope' poster

“Hope and change” have finally come full-circle for at least the famous symbol’s creator. According to The Smoking Gun:

“Federal prosecutors want Shepard Fairey, the artist who created the Barack Obama ‘Hope’ poster, to serve time in prison following his misdemeanor conviction for destroying and fabricating documents in connection with a civil lawsuit over the iconic campaign image. …”

“Fairey, seen in the above mugshot, has admitted destroying electronic records and creating fake documents in an effort to thwart a copyright lawsuit brought by the Associated Press, which contended that Fairey had based the ‘Hope’ image on a photo taken by an AP lensman.”

Perhaps I’m the only one to see the symbolism here. The famous image was a fraud from the beginning. It deceived many. As time passed, the legend’s continued existence required the destruction of truth to sustain itself. But even that was not enough: It also required the creation of lies to support its continued existence.

The last few years truly have been a “Fairey” tale. But the shifting sands of lies and deceit swirling around the image of “hope and change” simply were not up to the task of delivering real hope and change. The image, however, did enrich its creator by many millions of dollars.

Evidently, at least one of Obama’s high mucky-mucks does understand the symbolism of “hope and change,” appropriating the work of another for his own gain. They want the artist in jail. But the judge has disagreed.

I wonder if that is a metaphor for the future? “You didn’t build that” could well apply to Americans living today. The greatest nation on earth was handed to us by those who did build it. Like the children of wealthy parents who so often squander their inheritance, we’ve lived off the trust funds. Now the bill for consuming what we did not create has come due.

What will we hand our children? Hope and change wrapped in lies and deceit? Or an opportunity to still build it here?